Yesterday afternoon when I came home from work I went, as usual out the back yard to feed and water the chooks and birds. Jack, my sulphur crested cockatoo, was sitting on the bottom of her cage acting funny and I thought it was a bit strange and maybe she was clucky and going to lay an egg as she does every few years. When I went back out there at about 8.00 this morning she was still on the bottom of the cage. I could see one of her legs was curled up and she wasn't using it and couldn't climb up to the perch. As soon as 9.00 came I rang the vet in Wagga. I had to catch her and I put her in the pet transport cage I bought recently and took her to Wagga. Anyway the vet had a look at her and referred me to another vet in town who specialises in Birds. When I got her out there she was pretty distressed so the other vet gassed her to investigate further. When she was asleep and easier to handle he found a very large mass in her abdomen. He said that in Cockatoos, especially birds as old as her, these types of tumor were usually cancerous and to treat them has a very poor prognosis. I was given the option of treating her and chose not to. I believe that was the kindest solution. So I have no more Jack to entertain and be a part of our family after about 30 years of having her.
I wrote a post about Jack and what a character she is on 2.5.07.
After Jack went to the vet and didn't come home again I went to have a look at the big new pet shop in Wagga to get a bulk bag of dry cat food to leave at my son David's house who is looking after my cat for a while when we move to Canberra next week. While there I also got a small 4 sided mirror to put in Charlie's cage. Charlie is my Mum's cheeky little hand reared cockatoo.
Charlie is loving it! I needed a smile after my nasty morning with Jack. Charlie hasn't shut up since we got home and put the mirror in his cage. He has been kissing and whistling and talking non stop ever since. Very cute, and gratifying. He hasn't forgotten any of the phrases he knows and has been trying them all out on his new friend. Give us a kiss, Cheeky Charlie boy, Charlie is a cheeky boy, wotcha doin', wolf whistles and the tune he has learnt to whistle. He has forgotten over time the ring tone from our old phone, thank goodness, that one drove everyone mad. Charlie you brighten my day.
It has got hot here again over the last week and a half. The temperatures are in the mid to high 30's again. It is getting late in the year to still be this hot but I guess it makes up for the easy spin we have had over the larger part of the summer months this year. Weather man says it will be hot up until, and over the weekend.
I have a moving date. Wednesday the 19Th march. One week today. Wendy the packer who works with the removalist is coming tomorrow morning to have look where I am up to and help and advise me. I think I am reasonably organised in the house. The sheds are another matter. But the worst of the stuff in the sheds can be moved across to Canberra at a later date. The house hold goods come first.
I topped up my petrol tank on the way home this afternoon. It was $1.47/litre, coming to $66 for 3/4 of a tank full of fuel. Bloody Hell!!!. When I first started driving at 17 years old petrol was 15 cents a litre.
O.K. enough I will go and find something constructive to do.
Bye. Love Linda.
